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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Zzz, Don't Make Your Readers!

THIS IS IT.

GUYS.

I. MADE. IT.

*gasps*

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the LAST post of the A to Z Challenge here at AM Station. I've spent the last month sharing my writing rules, opinions, and experiences. Hopefully you've learned something or been inspired! I have so, so enjoyed talking to all of you and meeting so many bloggers.

But! More on that on MAY 4TH! Be sure to check back!!

Perhaps I should have started with this post. But the alphabet doesn't start with Z, so that wouldn't have worked out too well.

DON'T MAKE YOUR READERS FALL ASLEEP! Because that's bad.

I have seen so many series of books become sooooooo boring after the first one. Divergent and Hunger Games are prime examples. Reading Allegiant and Mocking Jay felt like trudging through quicksand at some points.

Now, obviously, just like everything else here, these are just my opinions.

But to me, it felt like the excitement wore off for the author, and so it also wore off for me, the reader. This may not be true, maybe Veronica Roth was writing Allegiant with a butt load of caffeine in her system, but to me, it felt like not so much.

I've touched on this already this month, but WRITE WHAT IS INTERESTING TO YOU! If you're bored, then SWITCH THE SCENE, SWITCH THE POV, SWITCH THE TENSE, SWITCH SOMETHING.

I'm really not yelling. Okay, maybe. I'm tired. I CAN'T BELIEVE I'VE MADE IT THROUGH THIS MONTH.

*does happy dance*

Um, yeah, no. I'm in my bed and I am too lazy to even reach for my teddy bear that just fell. Joking. If I don't, the monsters under my bed will eat him.

When it comes to keeping blog posts interesting (hopefully mine are, lol, that would actually be really funny if they aren't and I'm giving advice on how to keep posts interesting--pretty typical) is to USE CAPITAL LETTERS. Joking.

Well, maybe not. If that's your personality, do it. Let YOU shine through in what you do. When people I know read my blog, they tell me that they can hear me saying the words in their heads. That makes me happy =) Don't be afraid to just be YOU and put yourself out there!

Don't don't don't don't mimic someone else, even if they are more successful. Find your voice and, for goodness sakes, don't bury it. Scream with it! Unless you're more of a whisperer. Just do whatever it is you do, and you'll be interesting and successful!

Another thing I'm told that keeps readers interested is to keep it short when it comes to posting.

I'm really bad at this one.

For school, my papers almost always exceed the word limit, even if the topic is something I HATE. I have so much to say! But, seriously, it probably helps to keep it short.

However, long is me. I write this blog for me, I write in general for me. I sound really selfish, but hopefully you know what I mean. I want to please myself and be happy with my words rather than try to go viral or mimic someone else. I like my mildly undiscovered corner of the internet, and I truly dearly love those who come and visit me.

SO... IT. IS. DONE.

How did the challenge go for you? And how to you keep your posts interesting?

Hi, Anne Marie,I've enjoyed your comments on my posts so very much this month! Thank you. I've found that when I'm working on a story, if it comes hard to write, nobody's going to want to read it. I like to sit down, and just have the brain take over and write it for me. Usually it does. Happy writing to you, my friend!

Congratulations! You did it. Great advice about your voice. I will definitely follow that with my blog.I look forward to seeing what you have planned for may the 4th be with you and of course stopping by regularly.

A book that makes you fall asleep can be a good thing--if you have insomnia, for instance! LOL. But I seriously stopped reading a book around page 30 today because it was annoying me. It just seemed to go in circles and never really get anywhere. I'd tell tween/teen authors that just mimicking the voice of a young girl isn't enough. You have to actually make a coherent story!

Hurray! Congrats on making through the A-Z Challenge. They don't call it a challenge for nothing.

I'm easily distracted so if a book starts to get boring, I'm quick to bounce and DNF. Lately, I've found it harder and harder to find something to read that doesn't sound like something I've already read. It takes a lot to stand out these days. Best of luck with your writing and congrats again on finishing the A-Z.

Excellent advice. I wish I'd been reading your post from the beginning . I've bookmarked your blog so in can come back and visit .

Congratulations for making it to the end of the challenge. I'm trying to make my way through the list and visit all the participants.Melissa Sugar@msugar13Sugarlaw13@live.comHttp://fictiontoolbox.blogspot.com

Congrats on catching up and finishing. Your blog is one of the new ones I found via A-Z, so yea!!!

Back in the day (around 2005ish), my blog posts were pretty darn long. Blogging = online diaries, so everyone's posts were long. Then came Twitter and the advent of shorter attention spans and shorter posts. Microblogging has taken hold.

Being "Old School," I still enjoy reading in depth, full posts now and then. With my own blog, however, I had to change with the times.

Congrats on catching up and finishing. Your blog is one of the new ones I found via A-Z, so yea!!!

Back in the day (around 2005ish), my blog posts were pretty darn long. Blogging = online diaries, so everyone's posts were long. Then came Twitter and the advent of shorter attention spans and shorter posts. Microblogging has taken hold.

Being "Old School," I still enjoy reading in depth, full posts now and then. With my own blog, however, I had to change with the times.

Well done, Anne Marie! Congrats on making it to Zzzzz.I enjoyed the posts I was able to catch as I made my way through this challenge (duties as Ambassador had me a tad breathless). I have earmarked your blog as my coffee read, I will catch up on the ones I missed because, I do think you have something to say! Clever, witty, poignant… that's you!

I so AGREE with you!!! My worst writing is the writing where I try to be a writer. Does that make sense?

I was talking to a writer this weekend at a writer's event and she said she felt her story was done at 64,000 words, but editor wants 70,000. We brain stormed some areas to "beef" up, but in the end, I suggested she talk it over with her editor. If the book is complete at 64,000, why bore the reader with 6,000 words of fluff?

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The Face Behind The Words

Anne Marie J. Schlueter is a 18-year-old in love with Jesus and striving to do His will. She writes, attempts to sing, continuously dances, devours both words and food, cannot sleep with her closet door open, immensely enjoys awkward conversations, and generally has a lovely time at this thing called life.